Series: Fairwick Chronicles #1
Release Date: 27th December 2011
Pages: 416
Book Source: Random House Publishing & NetGalley
Synopsis: I gasped . . . or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. . . . His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked in my breath and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.
Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature - which is why she finds herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.
But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover - an incubus - and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He’s not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this demon lover from her heart.
My Thoughts:
Besides being a sucker for the gorgeous cover, I loved the gothic tone, the sexual tension, the sinister undercurrent and the fairytale-esque quality.
Callie's new home, Honeysuckle House is described with such vivid detail it's almost a living, breathing entity. Shrouded in mystery, oozing folklore and magic, the town of Fairwick and the woods are particularly atmospheric and I loved how the author conveyed this.
Callie McFay I just didn't connect with, I didn't like her or dislike her, she was just 'meh'. However I was completely taken with Callie's familiar, the adorable mouse, Ralph (he was one of my favourite characters and I don't even like mice LOL.)
I was actually more emotionally invested in the incubus' character. He's both fascinating and frightening and his backstory intriguing but I can't say anymore without getting spoilerish.
Feeling very little for the main character, some pacing issues and plot confusion had me leaning towards the 3 rating but being the shallow girl I am ... the sit under a fan sex scenes bumped up the rating a little. Juliet Dark writes HOT sex dreams ... if you can forget the sex just happens to be with a kind-of-creepy life-sucking incubus.
The Demon Lover is the first of a three book series; the second installment, The Water Witch will apparently be released some time in 2012. I want to know the fate of the incubus so despite some reservations I'll be reading the Water Witch.
Note: Juliet Dark is the pseudonym for Carol Goodman & The Demon Lover is published in the UK under the title Incubus ... confused much??
Visit Juliet Dark's website to find out more.
I think I would like a story line like this... bummer about the lows of the book for you, but to see the fate of everyone, I can see why you would want to read the next installment!! Great review!! :):):):):):):):):):):)
ReplyDeleteYour review put a smile on my face because of the "sex scenes!" I am a sucker for great covers too!!
ReplyDeleteI also get confused when i see it and think YA
ReplyDeleteB ~ believe me the opening sex scene soon straightens out any YA confusion :D
ReplyDelete